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Chapter 6
The Futility of Life
1
There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤅𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌
יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ הִ֖יא וְרַבָּ֥ה עַל־ הָאָדָֽם׃ yêš rā·‘āh ’ă·šer rā·’î·ṯî ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš hî wə·rab·bāh ‘al- hā·’ā·ḏām — WLC · 1
2
God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart - desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them -. Instead, a stranger… will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction…
𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤏𐤔𐤓 𐤅𐤍𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃 𐤇𐤎𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤌𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤕𐤀𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤈𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤍𐤊𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤆𐤄 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤇𐤋𐤉 𐤓𐤏 𐤄𐤅𐤀
הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים יִתֶּן־ ל֣וֹ אִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֹשֶׁר֩ וּנְכָסִ֨ים וְכָב֜וֹד חָסֵ֥ר וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ׀ מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־ יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ וְלֹֽא־ יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ נָכְרִ֖י יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וָחֳלִ֥י רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃ hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm yit·ten- lōw ’îš ’ă·šer ‘ō·šer ū·nə·ḵā·sîm wə·ḵā·ḇō·wḏ ḥā·sêr wə·’ê·nen·nū lə·nap̄·šōw mik·kōl ’ă·šer- yiṯ·’aw·weh hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·lō- yaš·lî·ṭen·nū le·’ĕ·ḵōl mim·men·nū kî ’îš nā·ḵə·rî yō·ḵă·len·nū zeh he·ḇel wā·ḥo·lî rā‘ hū — WLC · 2
3
- A man may father a hundred [children] and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives…, if he vvv is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not… even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤃 𐤌𐤀𐤄 𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤓𐤁 𐤔𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤒𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅
אִם־ אִ֣ישׁ יוֹלִ֣יד מֵאָ֡ה יִֽחְיֶ֜ה רַבּ֨וֹת וְשָׁנִים֩ וְרַ֣ב׀ שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵֽי־ שָׁנָ֗יו וְנַפְשׁוֹ֙ לֹא־ תִשְׂבַּ֣ע מִן־ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לֹא־ הָ֣יְתָה לּ֑וֹ וְגַם־ קְבוּרָ֖ה אָמַ֕רְתִּי הַנָּֽפֶל׃ ט֥וֹב מִמֶּ֖נּוּ ’im- ’îš yō·w·lîḏ mê·’āh yiḥ·yeh rab·bō·wṯ wə·šā·nîm wə·raḇ še·yih·yū yə·mê- šā·nāw wə·nap̄·šōw lō- ṯiś·ba‘ min- haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh lō- hā·yə·ṯāh lōw wə·ḡam- qə·ḇū·rāh ’ā·mar·tî han·nā·p̄el ṭō·wḇ mim·men·nū — WLC · 3
4
For [a stillborn child] enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤀 𐤁𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤉𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤁𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤔𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤎𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤇𐤔𐤊
כִּֽי־ בָּ֖א בַהֶ֥בֶל יֵלֵ֑ךְ וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ שְׁמ֥וֹ יְכֻסֶּֽה׃ וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ kî- bā ḇa·he·ḇel yê·lêḵ ū·ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ šə·mōw yə·ḵus·seh ū·ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ — WLC · 4
5
[The child], though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than [that man],
𐤋𐤆𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤍𐤇𐤕 𐤌𐤆𐤄
לָזֶ֖ה גַּם־ לֹא־ רָאָ֖ה שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע נַ֥חַת מִזֶּֽה׃ lā·zeh gam- lō- rā·’āh še·meš wə·lō yā·ḏā‘ na·ḥaṯ miz·zeh — WLC · 5
6
even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤅 𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤐 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤐𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤅𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌
וְאִלּ֣וּ חָיָ֗ה אֶ֤לֶף שָׁנִים֙ פַּעֲמַ֔יִם לֹ֣א רָאָ֑ה וְטוֹבָ֖ה הֲלֹ֛א הַכֹּ֥ל הוֹלֵֽךְ׃ אֶל־ אֶחָ֖ד מָק֥וֹם wə·’il·lū ḥā·yāh ’e·lep̄ šā·nîm pa·‘ă·ma·yim lō rā·’āh wə·ṭō·w·ḇāh hă·lō hak·kōl hō·w·lêḵ ’el- ’e·ḥāḏ mā·qō·wm — WLC · 6
7
All a man’s labor [is] for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤋𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤀
כָּל־ הָאָדָ֖ם עֲמַ֥ל לְפִ֑יהוּ וְגַם־ הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ לֹ֥א תִמָּלֵֽא׃ kāl- hā·’ā·ḏām ‘ă·mal lə·p̄î·hū wə·ḡam- han·ne·p̄eš lō ṯim·mā·lê — WLC · 7
8
What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What [gain comes] to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤕𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏 𐤋𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤍𐤂𐤃 𐤄𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌
מַה־ יּוֹתֵ֥ר כִּ֛י לֶחָכָ֖ם מִֽן־ הַכְּסִ֑יל מַה־ לֶּעָנִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ לַהֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַחַיִּֽים׃ mah- yō·w·ṯêr kî le·ḥā·ḵām min- hak·kə·sîl mah- le·‘ā·nî yō·w·ḏê·a‘ la·hă·lōḵ ne·ḡeḏ ha·ḥay·yîm — WLC · 8
9
Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤌𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤆𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤅𐤇
ט֛וֹב עֵינַ֖יִם מַרְאֵ֥ה מֵֽהֲלָךְ־ נָ֑פֶשׁ זֶ֥ה גַּם־ הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ ṭō·wḇ ‘ê·na·yim mar·’êh mê·hă·lāḵ- nā·p̄eš zeh gam- he·ḇel ū·rə·‘ūṯ rū·aḥ — WLC · 9
10
Whatever exists was named… long ago, and it is known what man [is]; but he cannot… contend with one stronger than he.
𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤍𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤔𐤌𐤅 𐤊𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤃𐤏 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤌 𐤔𐤄𐤕𐤒𐤉𐤐 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅
מַה־ שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה נִקְרָ֣א שְׁמ֔וֹ כְּבָר֙ וְנוֹדָ֖ע אֲשֶׁר־ אָדָ֑ם ה֣וּא וְלֹא־ יוּכַ֣ל לָדִ֔ין עִ֥ם שֶׁהַתְקִיף מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ mah- še·hā·yāh niq·rā šə·mōw kə·ḇār wə·nō·w·ḏā‘ ’ă·šer- ’ā·ḏām hū wə·lō- yū·ḵal lā·ḏîn ‘im šɛ·haṯ·qīp̄ mim·men·nū — WLC · 10
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For vvv the more words, the more futility— and how does that profit anyone?
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤌
כִּ֛י יֵשׁ־ הַרְבֵּ֖ה דְּבָרִ֥ים מַרְבִּ֣ים הָ֑בֶל מַה־ יֹּתֵ֖ר לָאָדָֽם׃ kî yêš- har·bêh də·ḇā·rîm mar·bîm hā·ḇel mah- yō·ṯêr lā·’ā·ḏām — WLC · 11
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For who knows what is good for a man during the few days [in which] he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏 𐤌𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋𐤅 𐤇𐤉𐤉 𐤊𐤑𐤋 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔
כִּ֣י מִֽי־ יוֹדֵעַ֩ מַה־ טּ֨וֹב לָֽאָדָ֜ם בַּֽחַיִּ֗ים מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣ם הֶבְל֖וֹ חַיֵּ֥י כַּצֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁר֙ מִֽי־ יַגִּ֣יד לָֽאָדָ֔ם מַה־ יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖יו תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ kî mî- yō·w·ḏê·a‘ mah- ṭō·wḇ lā·’ā·ḏām ba·ḥay·yîm mis·par yə·mê- wə·ya·‘ă·śêm heḇ·lōw ḥay·yê kaṣ·ṣêl ’ă·šer mî- yag·gîḏ lā·’ā·ḏām mah- yih·yeh ’a·ḥă·rāw ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš — WLC · 12